Rhéanne Chartrand

Rhéanne Chartrand is a Métis curator and creative producer based in Hamilton/Toronto. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Anthropology from McMaster University and a master’s degree in Museum Studies from the University of Toronto. Chartrand has over seven years of experience curating interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary exhibitions, showcases, and festivals.

In July of 2017, Chartrand became McMaster Museum of Art’s first-ever Curator of Indigenous Art, following a year-long, inaugural Aboriginal curatorial residency with the same institution. To date, Chartrand has curated three exhibitions at McMaster Museum of Art, Unapologetic: Acts of Survivance, Coyote School, and #nofilterneeded: Shining light on the Native Indian/Inuit Photographers’ Association, 1985-1992, with many more curatorial projects in development. Her curatorial work centers on the praxis of survivance, Indigenous epistemes, relational aesthetics, representational politics, and gratitude, with a particular focus on addressing narrative gaps in Indigenous art history.

She has held positions within numerous organizations, including, but not limited to: the Art Gallery of Mississauga, Harbourfront Centre, OCAD University, aluCine Latin Film+Media Arts Festival, the Indigenous Performing Arts Alliance, Kaha:wi Dance Theatre, and the National Museum of the American Indian (Washington DC). Notably, Chartrand served as Artistic Director for the Aboriginal Pavilion, a 16-day Indigenous arts, culture and sports festival that was held in conjunction with the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am / Parapan Am Games. Past curatorial projects include Gazing Back, Looking Forward (solo-curated; Fort York Visitor’s Centre, 2015) and Sanaugaq // Things Made by Hand (co-curated; University of Toronto Art Centre, 2011).

Chartrand is an interlocutor and advocate for the Indigenous arts+culture community, serving on juries, committees, and panels in an effort to advance Indigenous worldviews, stories, and experiences in new contexts and spaces in a culturally respectful way. In addition to her Métis roots in Canada, Chartrand grew up with a deep appreciation of and connection to Indigenous Latin America. Her personal journey is reflected in her professional commitment to build cross-cultural connections and creative collaborations between Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island.